patrickdna
Friends Getaway · July 20258/10
Walking into the MGM Tower at Borgata (formerly the Water Club) felt like placing a safe bet in a city that rarely offers them. The front desk agent noted it had been years since I last stayed, procee...Walking into the MGM Tower at Borgata (formerly the Water Club) felt like placing a safe bet in a city that rarely offers them. The front desk agent noted it had been years since I last stayed, proceeding with an efficient, gracious check-in that delivered detail without the dreaded front-desk monologue.
MGM's partnership with Marriott delivered dividends as an Ambassador, which earned me complimentary valet, drinks for two, and a waterfront view—proof that even in Atlantic City, loyalty sometimes provides more than bonus points and tepid greetings.
The rooms have undergone a glow-up, trading the tan hues of the Water Club era for a sleeker palette of while marble and natural materials that evoke Miami chic on a slightly constrained budget. But design choices are a mixed bag: above the bed hangs a Mondrian-style collage that looks like it wandered over from the discount section of Etsy, far too small for the wall it’s supposed to anchor, leaving a void you can feel while you lie in bed pondering your winnings (or more likely, losses) at the casino downstairs.
In-room amenities? You’ll find a coffee maker and coffee, but if you want water, you’ll need to embark on a downstairs quest (credit card in hand). A fridge lurks under the TV, quietly ready to store your overpriced resort purchases. The bathroom remains a highlight, with its spa-like layout and quality fixtures, though the shower’s mild mustiness was a reminder that this is Atlantic City, where even luxury has a whiff of salt air.
The room was clean, aside from a missing DND sign and a closet light that decided retirement was immediate. Luggage arrived promptly—proof that service here still hums, even if some of the sparkle has faded since the Water Club’s opening days.
Downstairs, the Sunroom, designed for the rich and sexy to brunch in a bespoke space, has been downgraded from Cartier to Casio. The menu outside proclaims all-day fare, but the kitchen actually stops serving food at 3:30 pm, shifting to drinks only—a culinary bait-and-switch softened by a genuinely lovely staff (Jeyah, in particular, deserves praise). They handle it all with grace despite clearly being under-supported, with no bussers in sight, and the restaurant itself feeling like the MGM family’s overlooked cousin. Fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice on the menu? “Not really,” the server admitted, with the quiet honesty of someone who knows the house always wins. Meanwhile, the ants near the indoor planters were having the best meal in the restaurant.
The valet team deserves its own mention: friendly, fast, and effortlessly efficient—a reminder that sometimes, the best perks are the ones you don’t have to think about.
The verdict? The MGM Tower remains a quieter, more bespoke alternative to the main Borgata tower, blessedly free of lines and blessed with two private pools. Yet it’s hard not to notice the Water Club sparkle has dulled—gone is the room service curated by Geoffrey Zakarian, the plush robes, the small flourishes that once made the tower feel special. What’s left is still good, sometimes very good, just with fewer indulgences and more reminders that Atlantic City is about carefully managed expectations.
If you want a stay that feels upscale, with just enough quirks to keep your visit interesting (and your group text amused), the MGM Tower will deliver, provided you bring your own water and a sense of humor.Show More
